The McKinsey Center for Future Mobility’s Bold Claims About the Coming AV Revolution
In this episode of Zag Talk, the hosts discuss the latest Q1 earnings surge for gig‑economy firms like DoorDash, Uber, and Lyft, then dive into McKinsey’s Center for Future Mobility report on autonomous vehicle (AV) projections with guests Darius Skirtu and Ani Kelkar. They explore the socioeconomic impact of delivery services, the looming Lime IPO, and recent regulatory and safety challenges facing Waymo in London and the U.S., including a police‑cordon incident and a 3,800‑vehicle recall. The conversation also touches on Amazon’s drone delivery trials in the UK and the broader implications of emerging mobility technologies for urban planning and equity.
The “Invisible Army” Behind Amazon’s Robotaxi Revolution
In this episode, Bob Safian talks with Ayesha Evans, CEO of Zoox, about the company’s autonomous robotaxi program and its recent partnership with Uber. Evans explains Zoox’s purpose‑built vehicle design, the milestones they’ve reached (over 2 million driverless miles and a...
BRIEFLY: EV Intent, Honda, Slate & More | 15 May 2026
The episode delivers a rapid roundup of the latest EV news, highlighting sustained consumer interest despite a sales plateau, Honda’s first operating loss and shift back to hybrids, Slate Auto’s Michigan expansion ahead of a low‑cost electric pickup launch, and...
Flexdrive: Lyft's Secret Weapon in Autonomous Mobility
In this episode of Autonomy Insiders, FlexDrive CEO John Parks explains how Lyft’s fleet‑management subsidiary keeps autonomous and rental vehicles charged, maintained, and matched to rider demand. He details FlexDrive’s evolution from a rideshare rental partner to a vertically integrated...
BRIEFLY: ID Polo, BMW iX3, Ford & More | 30 Apr 2026
The episode delivers a rapid roundup of the latest EV news, highlighting Volkswagen's new ID Polo priced around €25,000 (≈ $27,000), BMW's extended EPA range for the US‑spec iX3 xDrive50 to 434 miles with a $60,000 price tag, and Ford's EV division...
Trump Announces 25% Tariffs on Cars From the EU
The episode examines President Donald Trump's announcement of a 25% tariff on European cars and trucks, arguing the move stems from perceived EU non‑compliance with a recent trade deal, especially over steel and aluminium disputes. BBC correspondents and EU officials...
Do High Gas Prices Change How Americans Buy Cars?
In this episode of The Flipside, Brad Rogoff and U.S. Autos and Mobility Analyst Dan Levy examine whether today’s elevated gas prices are reshaping American car‑buying habits. They note that fuel costs represent only about 3% of average household spending,...
Urban Autonomy in America: What’s Real & What’s Next (Curbivore 2026)
The Curbivore 2026 panel, hosted by Forbes senior editor Alan Oensman, examined the current state and future hurdles of autonomous vehicle (AV) deployment in the U.S., covering robotaxis, delivery bots, and data infrastructure. Participants included Aaron from Korean robot‑delivery startup...
Ro Gupta on Toyota’s Speedboat Strategy for Venture-Driven Innovation
In this episode, Ro Gupta, managing director of Woven Capital—the $1.6 billion growth‑stage venture fund backed by Toyota—explains how the fund operates as a "fleet of speedboats" to scout and accelerate emerging technologies for Toyota’s broader ecosystem. He outlines the dual...
AV Charging Infrastructure: How Terawatt Is Building the Physical Layer Autonomous Fleets Need
In this episode of Autonomy Insiders, host Daniel talks with Peter Cohen, General Manager for AV and rideshare at Terawatt Infrastructure, about the often‑overlooked challenge of charging infrastructure for autonomous vehicle fleets. Terawatt builds, finances, and operates high‑power charging hubs—typically...
BRIEFLY: IONIQ 3, EU Sales, US Used EVs & More | 21 Apr 2026
The episode delivers a rapid roundup of the latest EV news, highlighting Hyundai's debut of the compact Ioniq 3 hatchback with two battery options (42 kWh for ~213 mi and 61 kWh for ~308 mi) and a new Android‑based Plios OS. It notes a 51%...
CHINA: Ford Chasing The Chinese, BYD Sealion 05 Launched and VW Eyes Oil Shock China Sales | 21 Apr 2026
The episode examines how global automakers are adapting to China's booming EV market: Ford’s CEO Jim Farley cites BYD as the benchmark for cost and supply‑chain efficiency, while BYD launches the Sea Lion 05 compact crossover with both plug‑in hybrid and...
The System Behind Self-Driving: Waymo’s Dmitri Dolgov
In this episode, Waymo co‑CEO Dmitri Dolgov walks through the architecture that powers Waymo’s fully autonomous fleet, explaining how a multi‑sensor stack (LiDAR, radar, cameras) feeds a large foundation model that is refined into three specialized off‑board teachers—the driver, the...
BRIEFLY: Field Leaves Ford, Mercedes VLE and Free Charging | 16 Apr 2026
The brief EV news roundup covers several key developments: Doug Fields, a senior electrification executive who moved from Apple to Tesla and then Ford, is leaving Ford immediately, prompting a restructuring of its EV, hybrid, and gasoline programs. Dacia unveiled...
328. Building Trust in AV Safety
In this episode, Grayson Brulte talks with Darceen Fodenauer, Executive Director of the Automated Vehicle Safety Consortium (AVSC), and Aaron McCurry, Principal Engineer at AVSC, about the consortium’s role in shaping safety best practices for Level 4 and Level 5...